1. Digital Music
Scott Bennett
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2. Digital Music vs Electronic Music
is music created in analog and stored in a series of 1s and 0s
Electronic music
is music created with a computer or electronic (midi) instrument with a series of 1s and 0s and can be stored in a series of 1s and 0s or recorded into an analog source
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3. Introduction This is a crash course in: Sound/Human Hearing
Digital Data
Digital file creation, manipulation, and playback on Hilton Sound Systems.
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4. Objectives Music File Compression/Algorithms
Recording in Records/Audio Cleaning
Creating Extended Mixes
Adjusting Tempo, Pitch, and/or Speed
Special Effects!!!
Playback on Hilton Sound Systems
Ethics
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5. Overview Digital Music Files Player Devices Software Hook-Ups
MP3/WMA/WAV
Player Devices
Computer/MP3/MiniDisc/CD
Software
Creation/Editor/Player
Hook-Ups
Connectors/Booster/Cables
Mp3
Mp3
Mp3
Input
Input
Input CD CD CD
Output
Output
Output MD MD
Player
Laptop
WMA
Boost
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6. Vocabulary Bit Byte Kilo Mega “b” a “1” or “0”, “data letter”
Usually referred to in data transfers
Byte
“B” 8 bits, “data word”
Usually referred to in data storage
Kilo
“k” 1000 thousand
Mega
“M” million
Scott Bennett

7. Vocabulary Hertz Sample Rate Bit Depth Channels “Hz” cycles per second
How often we measure the sound signal
Bit Depth
Amount of data we read per sample
Channels
Audio dispersions in stereo, mono, or multi-track, surround sound, etc
Scott Bennett

8. Vocabulary Bit Rate Samples X Bit Depth X Channels = Bit Rate
CD Bit Rate
1411 kbps
44100 Hz x 16 bit x 2 channels = 1,411,200 bits per second
MP3 Bit Rate
Is variable from 16 kbps to 320 kbps
Scott Bennett

9. Vocabulary Analog Digital Digital Music
Frequency, peaks and valleys, “waves”
All sound/music is analog
Digital
Series of numerical representations of analog information. “1s and 0s” “bits”
Digital Music
The storage of analog sound in digital format.
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10. Human Hearing We can hear from: SD music ranges from: 20Hz-20kHz
Aging, loses higher ranges first
SD music ranges from:
98-784Hz (grand scale)
Scott Bennett

11. Grand Scale
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12. Digital Audio Structure
Sample Rate “Samples”
Bit Depth
Channels
Bit Rate
Compression Level/Type
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13. Samples Samples are measured in Hz (frequency)
Higher sample rates are higher quality and require more storage space
Lower rates are lower quality but require less storage space
Signal loss from lower sampling may not be heard by everyone
Signal loss played through a Hilton and Yak may not be noticeable
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15. Bit Depth The amount of data stored (amplitude dB)
This is the amount of data stored per sample per channel
16 Bit Depth (audio on CD)
24 Bit Depth (audio on DVD)
Higher bit depths have more volume range before clipping
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16. Audio Channels
Mono
Stereo
Multi-Track
Surround Sound
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17. Bit Rate CD Audio MP3 Audio 1411kbps ~ 10 MB per minute of audio
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18. Compression Lossless Compression Lossy Compression
Data out is equal to data in
Lossy Compression
Data out is not equal to data in, algorithms remove parts that can not be noticed by most users and averages portions of the data
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19. Digital Music Where to get it: “Rip” from a CD you purchased
Purchase as an mp3
Record vinyl or other analog source
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20. Ripping CD Ripping: Making a legal “back-up” copy of your music
To rip a CD to mp3 file can be very easily from Windows Media Player or iTunes
Set the ripping software to the desired “bit rate” and format
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21. MP3 Purchase an mp3: Brand new music
Replacement of worn out vinyl recorded to mp3
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22. Record Analog Recording in analog signals
Making a legal “back-up” copy of your music
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23. Audacity
Audacity
FREE audio software for creation and manipulation of audio.
Download the mp3 encoder file too
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24. Recording Analog from Hilton Amp or other source
See table on hand-out for your model
Analog input to computer
Line-In is better than Mic-In
Mic-In has a pre-amp circuit
USB Line Audio Adapter for recording
Usually 1/8” Stereo
USB Turntable
Adjust the “Recording Level”
Set this low enough that “peaks” will not “clip”
Clips are parts that are too “hot” or “overdriven”
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25. Clean & Save Music Vinyl “pop” and “scratch/skip” Removal
Normalize Audio Level
Vinyl Noise Removal
Trim Excess Silence
Save as an “mp3” File
Compression Level/Type
Filename/Location that is best for your player
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26. SQView
SQView
Is a FREE program designed for SD calling and playing mp3
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27. Playback on Hilton Amps
Patch Cable/Hook-Up Location
See handout for your model
Booster
Only for the Hilton Amps with old style tone arm
Over boost of the input will be too hot/overdriven for the input of the amp
Laptop/MP3/MiniDisc/CD
Line-Out better than Headphone out
Headphone out has an amplifier and usually too much “bass-boost” for an amp input
USB Line-Out device
“Flatten” audio output from music source
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28. Adjustments/Minor Editing
Pitch, Tempo and Speed
Pitch w/o tempo change
Tempo w/o pitch change
Speed w/ pitch & tempo change
Equalizer
Cutting off unwanted parts/Setting Starting points
Looping/Extended Mixes
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29. Major Editing Replace an entire section of a song
Create Back-Up Singers
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30. SQView vs Audacity SQView Audacity Only minor editing
On the fly changes
Stores a data file to save changes, does not change the mp3 file
Audacity
Minor and major editing
Changes the mp3 file
Best to use when making more than one change or a complex change, because it is not on the fly
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31. Ethics Music Piracy New Music Rationale Excuse Apology
No profits or break even points, no new music
Rationale
It’s just for me
Excuse
It is just too easy to do
Apology
Stop and convince others to stop
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32. Summary S.O.U.N.D. C.R.A.P. G.I.G.O.
Setup + Operation + Understanding - Noise + Digital Music = Sound (reasonable)
C.R.A.P.
Compression + Recording + Audio + Process
G.I.G.O.
Garbage In = Garbage Out
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33. What Else? Don’t be afraid to experiment
Don’t Suffer In Silence, ask questions
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